Mary Fraser, University of Glasgow
This so far untold story of the release of policemen into agriculture during the last two years of the First World War was a surprise! 1917 was the year of war weariness, when nothing seemed to go well for Britain: blockading started in earnest from February, a severe winter combined with government mismanagement led to potato shortages, with many food items in short supply or absent, leading to huge food price inflation. The nation feared starvation, industrial unrest increased in essential war-related industries, as overtime only just kept pace with inflation. This toxic combination added to many deaths in recent battles, such as the Somme, where Kitchener’s new recruits were casualties. There seemed no end in sight.
Although much is written about the Women’s Land Army and Prisoners of War helping farmers to increase home food production, the police role remained hidden, despite their weekly journal, The Police Review and Parade Gossip, heading many columns during March/April 1917 ‘Police as Ploughmen’ which inspired searches for the story.
Local newspapers and archival visits confirmed the releases of policemen in 21 locations across England and Scotland with around 400 released initially for around 6 weeks. This was surprising, because by Spring 1917 all police forces were more than 30% reduced due either to voluntary enlistment or conscription. Indeed, some forces, such as Berwick, Roxburgh and Selkirk released more than 60% of their force into agriculture. The help came at a crucial time of year to plough and plant crops. Many also returned for harvest, with double the numbers released in Scotland to around 500. Birmingham police were released from March 1917 until the end of the war, some others were sent to locations outside their area e.g. a few from Edinburgh were released to Aberdeen and Glasgow police to Fife.
The release followed a highly pressurised campaign by central government to increase home food production. The police were known to contain many men, usually around a third, with agricultural backgrounds so were targeted for these skills, but also because their physique allowed them to plough the land using hand ploughs, a skilled task requiring strength and stamina, particularly in the heavy wet Springtime soil.
Although the above photograph shows recently ploughed soil, some of the ground due for tilling in early 1917 was disused land, entangled with roots and weeds. Government, through statutory County War Agricultural Executive Committees, surveyed farmland and issued farmers with ploughing and planting instructions with penalties under DORA 2L and 2M for non-compliance.
Most farmers were willing but unable to comply without huge increases in manpower. The Board of Agriculture was criticised for this ambitious task. Government approached local authorities and employers and inserted quarter page advertisements in local newspapers (see below) pleading for urgent temporary help with ploughing, giving only 6 weeks to plough and plant crops for an autumn harvest – no stone was left unturned to provide help to farmers, it was a national emergency.
Large numbers of soldiers based in camps across Britain were also released to farmers, but initially many were found inefficient in skills and/or knowledge, farmers angrily rejected them sending many back to their depots as either ‘lazy and useless’ or ‘physically unable’. Over the next few months, the army selected them more carefully, so that by the end of 1917 farmers’ complaints were less evident. But farmers welcomed the help given by policemen, as evidenced by letters to the local press and the War Agricultural Committees.
While the 1917 harvest showed a small increase in crops, in autumn 1918 one of the largest harvests on record was gathered, despite renewed urgent calls for more troops for the German Spring Offensive. Winning the war was attributed to feeding the nation – Prime Minister Lloyd George in his memoirs said, “the food question ultimately decided the issue of this war.” The police role in this should be acknowledged.
The release of police into essential industries is not new. Since 2011 international attempts to manage national disasters has been a priority. In Britain, during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, before vaccinations became available, police manpower was again released, this time into the ambulance service, as this essential industry was in fear of collapse in London and the South West. Therefore, police as ploughmen is an example of the police role in disaster management.
This book is aimed at students, post-graduates and academics in police history, social history, public policy, and history more generally.
About the Author:
Mary Fraser is a social researcher, since 2006 working on the history of police work in Britain. Her current interest is in police management of the population, particularly in preventing public disturbance during and after WW1. She was awarded a Fellowship of the Royal Historical Society in 2023.